NIIRTA: Retailers need more time
Glyn Roberts, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) commented on government proposals to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products:
“NIIRTA’s members are responsible community retailers who recognise they have a part to play in addressing the problem of smoking, particularly amongst young people.
“The Conservative-led government now intends to push ahead with this ban, despite saying they would not do so in opposition. It is estimated that these proposals will cost retailers in England over £40 million.
“In England smaller traders are being given until 2015 to make the necessary changes to their shops and we would urge, whoever is the local health minister after the assembly elections, to give local traders the same lead in time.
“The changes required under this legislation will be expensive for recession-hit small retailers to implement, costing them thousands at a critical time when jobs are under threat. If retailers have a longer and flexible lead in time to make these changes it will make these costly changes easier to implement.”
